Three Francophone African startups have been named winners of the latest edition of the Orange Summer Challenge, which gives entrepreneurs three months to transform an idea into a business.
Created in 2011, the Orange Summer Challenge is the flagship event of the Orange Digital Centres network in Africa and the Middle East, aimed at inspiring young people to develop technology startups for the common good.
The 2025 edition saw 282 young innovators and entrepreneurs from 14 countries benefit from intensive support combining training, mentoring and coaching provided by experts from Orange and its partners: AWS, EY and NOKIA. Together, they developed 57 startups on the theme of Tech4Impact.
At a closing awards ceremony in Casablanca, three startups were named winners, selected by an international jury and the votes of Orange employees in Africa and the Middle East.
First prize went to Madagascar’s Plastikoo, which transforms plastic waste into sustainable construction materials, reducing pollution while promoting the sustainable development of local communities. In second place was Tunisia’s MEPS, which integrates IoT to convert organic waste into clean biogas and fertilizer, while third place went to Cameroon’s Leevlong, a medical device allowing real-time monitoring of vital signs.
The winners will benefit from financial, technical and commercial support from Orange Digital Centres and their partners. NOKIA will award a grant of EUR40,000 to finance the pre-incubation and incubation of projects (US$42,000), while Orange will offer a reward of EUR20,000 (US$21,000) to support young talents involved in these impactful initiatives.
“For 15 years, the Orange Summer Challenge has supported thousands of young talents in their entrepreneurial adventure. This new edition once again illustrates the ability of African and Middle Eastern youth to innovate and respond to the societal challenges of our continent. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants for their commitment and creativity,” said Brelotte Ba, deputy CEO of Orange Africa and the Middle East.
